St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-02-22
The Chamber of Commerce, by Big Odds,
Wants the Capitol at the Heart
of st. Paul,
Where for Forty Years it Has Been Con-
venient of Access to the Peopla
Of Minnesota.
Vigorous Discussion of Strong Reso-
lutiouS Against Suburban Site
1.-The Old Agreement.
Minneapolis Men viii Offer to Bui1d
Two -M1llion-Dollar Structure
"A Mass Meeting.


scheme of the removal of the capitol site
would be considered. The whole board.
nearly, was in attendance, and for the
second time this season Gen. Sibley came
out and occupied place by the president.
Hon, John S. Pillsbury, of Minneapolis, was
also there. Beside the regular members of
the chamber an audience made up OF in
terested outsiders was in attendance in
such numbers that it filled all the space
outside the chains. On calling the board to
order Capt. Blakely, the president. sug-
gested that it would be better for the board
to go into executive session. To this good
deal of objection was expressed, but Mr..
Murray made motion to go into executive
session. Gen Averll did not think that
would be necessary, but that it would be
sufficient for the chair TO notify the report
ers not to report what was done and said. H.
p. Hall wanted every word reported. There
was no reason why anything should be con-
cealed Let the talk be open and free. 1t
would have been well enough last Monday
morning to have had an executive session,
but he thought there was no need of one
this morning. Mr.. Murray then withdrew
his motion and the talk was then free for
all. Three resolutions were offered and
read, as follows:
BY CAPT. CASTLE.
Resolved, That in the opinion of this cham
Der it is inexpedient to entertain any PROPOSE
tion at this time for the removal Of the state
capitol from its present site.
BY GEN. sANBoRN.
Whereas, The present capitol building of
the state of Minnesota is of q temporary and
UNSAFE character, insecure against fire and
other elements and fails 10 afford adequate
accommodations for the officers of the state
government and the various branches of the
public service; and,
Whereas, Ordinary craftsmanship and pru-
dence require that the public records, pro p
erty and archives should be kept in a building
where they will be secure from destruction by
fire aud the elements and all branches of the
service be properly and fully accommodated,
and the state at the same time have q capitol
building that will be the pride and glory Of
the people through al generations and in
some degree illustrate their taste and public
spirit in the early days OF her history; there
fore,
Resolved, That in the Judgment of this
body the time has arrived when the state
should proceed to erect capitol building of
a durable and fre-proof character, adequate
to the protection and preservation of all the
records, archives and personal property of
the state and sufficiently large to accommo-
date all the officers of the state and all
branches of the public service for all time to
come.
Resolved, That equal justice toward all the
people of the state and toward all local ties
and classes requires that the permanent cap
itol shall be located where 1t will be most con-
Venlent for the larger number to reach it and
where all will be best accommodated, and
hence should be located at or near the proba-
bic great center of business and population
in this state, where the larger proportion OF
public business will originate and where the
pc eple will reside for whom it will be trans
acted.
Resolved. That the period of forty years
that has elapsed since the capitol was located
at St. Paul and the acquiescence and satis-
faction of the great majority Of the people of
the state Herewith during the entire period,
has demonstrated the foresight and good
Judgment of the founders of the territorial
and state governments and like foresight
and Judgment requires that the permanent
capitol building be located in the st. Paul
that existed when the state constitution was
adopted, and that we recommend to the city
council 10 furnish such site or location in
said city for said permanent capitol as shall
be approved by and be most satisfactory to
the representatives of all the people IN the
state in the legislature assembled free of any
cost or charge to the state.
Resolved, That while we will favor any To-
caliLy in SAID city for the new capitol, selected
and approved by the people of the state
through their representatives, our Judgment
is that the location of the capitol in the re-
mote suburbs of this city or of our sister city,
while it would be an act of bad faith toward
ST. Paul, would tend TO discommode the Off
GERS of the state and all people having busi-
ness with them, and that the public interests
would De best subserved by the location of
the capitol in near the center of our city,
and that these cities, while they may with pro-
priety ask the state to donate any lands over
which it has control in near them that arc
no longer to be used for public purposes by
the state, to the two cities, to be used and
maintained by them as parks, they cannot
with any propriety ask the officers and people
of this state to go out to the remote suburbs
after reaching the city to attend to the public
business that has brought them hither.
By MIR. SMALLEY.
Resolved, That in the opinion of this cham
ber the time has now arrived when the legis-
lature should make provision for the erection
of permanent capitol building for the state
OF Minnesota, which shall be in its dimensions
suitable for the present and future needs of
the state, and in it soidity and architectural
beauty typical of Mlnnesota'S dignity, intelli-
gence and solid prosperity.
Resolved, That in view of the continued
rapid growth OF st. Paul and Minneapolis, of
the fact that their corporate limits are now
contiguous,s and of the strong probability
that the Intervening space between their
present well-bullt districts will soon be occu-
pied with streets and buildings, location for
the new capitol should be selected in such
position of what is known as the Midway or
interurban district as lies within the bounda-
ries of st. Paul and is convenient of access
by rail transportation from both cities.
Resolved, That the proposition submitted
by representatives of Minneapolis for the
consideration of ST. Paul should be met in a
spirit of fairness and equity, and that nego-
tiatlons should continue until some amicable
agreement is reached for site in st. Paul ac-
ceytable to both cites on which to locate a
new state capitol
GENERAL DISCUSSION.
These resolutions were offered in the or
o1O
tion of Gen. Sanborns series, and called
for the previous question, but as several
members objected he withdrew the CALL
and the discussion was opened by Gen. Sam
born. who was called upon personally by
MIR. Smalley. He gave a brief review of
the location of the capitol here where it had
been for forty-three years. and said the
neople of the state were satisfied to have it
here.
It was no use, he thought, to assert the
idea that these two cities are one We are
one fn some respects: not in ALL We have
separate interests after ALL For forty years
St. Paul has had the reputation of having the
capitol, and it is some advantage; though, in
q pecuniary point of view, a mill would have
haen of more benefit to the city, and so would
have been a manufactory. The right to the
capitol is in the old compact. The legisla-
4nre has given public institutions to Roches-
Ter. ST. Peter, Saltwater, st. Paul, Minneapo-
lie and Faribault. We ought to keep faith
snd abide by our agreements. If there was
a reneral movement among the people for u
change. if the people found 1t inconvenient
TO get TO St. Paul, and, generally speaking, if
the people of the state desired to make a
change. he would not feel justified in oppos-
ing such proposition. But this is not so.
The desire to make change comes from no
such source.
Mr.. Smalley opposed Gen. Sanborn's res
alution. and said that when he came to
49, +rro cities five wears ago he was told